Cameras in the form of a pill
April 02, 2017
Critical to know location
It is important for doctors to know exactly where the camera pill is located inside the patient when filming. Researchers at UiO are working on creating a radio transmitter small enough to integrate into the camera pill. A belt full of tiny receivers worn around the patient's stomach, captures the signals.
"It's the same principle as using GPS to find your way," explains Balasingham.
Examining tissue with radar
The material properties of damaged tissue - such as cancer tissue - differ from those of healthy tissue.
The researchers at FFI are working on a radar solution which outperforms video, enabling the pill to observe more deeply inside the stomach and intestine and to provide feedback as to whether the tissue is healthy or damaged.
Although the technology is still in the developmental stages, researchers in the US are experimenting with this type of radar examination as a replacement for x-rays when looking for cancerous tumours in breast tissue.
Relevant to the petroleum industry?
If we draw on all the technologies being developed by the various research groups, we may end up with a camera pill that gives us entirely new possibilities for diagnosing illness and planning more customised treatment. But it does not stop there: This same technology may also have a promising future in industrial areas.
"We envision using the camera pill for purposes such as looking for damage in underwater oil pipes," states Balasingham.
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